La Pedrera

Casa Milà, aka La Pedrera ("The Quarry"), by the famous architect Antonio Gaudi, is a building in the Eixample district of Barcelona.  It was commissioned by a rich couple who told Gaudi that the building could cost as much as he wanted (no limits!) as long as it stood out from all the surrounding buildings. I think he most certainly achieved this goal.  Also, I think that a few floors are actually occupied by residents.  Here's the outside of it:

Earlier today we went on a walking tour and got to go inside this building.  From the outside, I think it's supposed to look like a cliff or maybe a dragon's cave/lair (because Barcelona is obsessed with Saint George).  Here are some more pictures of the outside:

Inside the building, there are two open air spaces so that there can be more windows and thus more light.

Most tourists don't come here for the inside, but rather to see the roof.  The roof is a labyrinth-like garden of strange curvy sculptures and it hosts excellent views of the city.  You'll notice that some of the sculptures look like the storm troopers from Star Wars--- our tour guide told us that George Lucas came here before making the movies and these weird sculptures are what inspired the costumes.

A view from the roof of the street Passeig de Gracia.  This street is lined with a lot of designer stores.

On the floor just below the roof, there was a mini museum of the building.  Below is an architectural model of the building and some organic found objects that perhaps inspired Gaudi's designs.

And.... me!  Of course.